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Artist Nancy Deye |
Artwork
Artist Statement
An educator by profession, my passion for metalsmithing has been largely self-taught. For more than 25 years, I have been learning the skill of designing and creating jewelry, working exclusively with the fabrication of sterling silver. Using the techniques of piercing, sawing, etching and forging on a flat sheet of sterling, unique handmade pieces are formed.
My goal is to create beautiful, well-crafted sterling silver jewelry with simplicity of design that compliments the magic of the metal. For me, there is something sensual about silver that doesn't exist in other metals. Master Danish silversmith, Georg Jensen, paralleled silver to the moon's shine on a beautiful night. I understand that.
The magic is exaggerated with the addition of stones, most often from the shores of Lake Michigan. Shaping and polishing a piece of the earth, bringing it to life, is fascinating. To me, the marriage of stone to metal is a perfect representation of a harmonious union of nature and man. It is a privilege to watch the development of a well-crafted piece and give birth to it.....and it's an honor to see it appreciated by others.
My goal is to create beautiful, well-crafted sterling silver jewelry with simplicity of design that compliments the magic of the metal. For me, there is something sensual about silver that doesn't exist in other metals. Master Danish silversmith, Georg Jensen, paralleled silver to the moon's shine on a beautiful night. I understand that.
The magic is exaggerated with the addition of stones, most often from the shores of Lake Michigan. Shaping and polishing a piece of the earth, bringing it to life, is fascinating. To me, the marriage of stone to metal is a perfect representation of a harmonious union of nature and man. It is a privilege to watch the development of a well-crafted piece and give birth to it.....and it's an honor to see it appreciated by others.
Artist Interview
Q: What was your first memorable experience with art?
A: In 1965, my family moved to England. Although I had been exposed to art and art history in my previous junior high art classes in Omaha, Nebraska, nothing prepared me for the visit to the National Art Gallery in London with my English art class. I was completely overwhelmed by the magnitude and grandeur of the works I saw there.
Q: Can you explain when you first knew you wanted to become an artist? Who/What turned you on to Art?
A: That first visit to London’s National Gallery inspired me to visit all the art galleries in London. The Tate became my favorite and although I appreciated such incredible works in all the mediums, it was the neighbor up the road who I will forever be grateful. He sparked my passion for silver.
Jorgen Hostrup-Pedesen was larger than life. He was a witty, charismatic Dane who lived each day like it was his last. He owned the Georg Jensen shop on London's Regents Street, famous for jewelry and extravagances of the elite. His home was a treasure of exquisite sterling silver things from goblets to candelabras and his living room boasted huge original paintings and a hand painted ceiling of Danish design. One day, he asked if my family might want to go to the shop with him and spend some time exploring the area.
That day was a whirlwind for me as an impressionable 14-year old in the sixties when England ruled the world of music and fashion. Everything glowed and pulsed. The highlight of the day, however, was hidden in the basement of that Georg Jenson shop. Beyond the front room of refinement with its quiet display of stunning sterling, Jorgen and his wife, Signe, took us through the back office where we descended stairs leading to the silversmith work area. There, we met Erik, the head "silversmithie" and 2 other smithers working on various projects. I was in awe. We watched as silver sheet was worked to a vessel and molten metal transformed to sleek jewelry and silverware. When Erik noticed my keen interest, he stopped his work and proceeded to explain what they were doing, the tools on his workbench and some tricks of the trade. Here, I was in a basement room in London with one of the master silversmithers in the world. I was in heaven. That day, I knew this image would lead me down the path to my own silversmithing studio.
Q: Is there any single piece of artwork that has impacted you as a child? An adolescent? An adult?
A: I don’t remember having such a piece as a child but Salvador Dali’s The Metamorphosis of Narcissus was my absolute favorite piece as an adolescent. I loved all his detail and imagery that provoked thought.
Q: What artists influenced you the most? Current Influences?
A: Georg Jensen, Master Danish silversmith, will always be paramount in sterling silver design and quality. On the other hand, I love Celtic design and enjoy studying the intricate patterns to see if I can incorporate them into my work.
Q: What do you like most about the medium and surface you use?
A: Sterling silver is the most beautiful metal of all metals. Jensen paralleled silver to the moon’s shine on a beautiful night. I understand that. It can be smooth and sleek or textured and intricate but it is always malleable and forgiving.
Q: What ideas are behind your current work?
A: To live here, in this rich, unique part of the world, allows an artist of any kind to be completely immersed in and inspired by its beauty. Nature is always a focus. Recently, my emphasis has been on stones found only in Michigan. We have the Petosky Stone and the Leland Blue right here ‘in my back yard’ but there are other fantastic, relatively unknown stones, like the Mohawkite and the Copper Brick, that are not only rare but strikingly beautiful.
Q: What do you want people to respond to in your work?
A: In this world of instant indulgences, things of value involve time. I would like people to respond to this concept. Not just in the sense of the craftsmanship necessary to create a piece but in its connection with the earth. The marriage of metal and stone is a perfect representation of a harmonious union of nature and man throughout time. There is an intrinsic value in this connection.
Q: Do you have a predetermined idea of what your finished work will be like, or do the ideas emerge in process?
A: I start out with a predetermined idea. With consignment work, I must. However, it is often the case that serendipity rules! I have learned that a finished work is frequently a willing combination of the two.
Q: What are your goals for your work in the next few years?
A: Being self-taught, I am always trying to improve the quality of my work in skillfulness and design. It is my hope that in the next few years, I’ll become more efficient and confident in my lapidary and silversmithing skills and that the jewelry I create will be appreciated by others.
A: In 1965, my family moved to England. Although I had been exposed to art and art history in my previous junior high art classes in Omaha, Nebraska, nothing prepared me for the visit to the National Art Gallery in London with my English art class. I was completely overwhelmed by the magnitude and grandeur of the works I saw there.
Q: Can you explain when you first knew you wanted to become an artist? Who/What turned you on to Art?
A: That first visit to London’s National Gallery inspired me to visit all the art galleries in London. The Tate became my favorite and although I appreciated such incredible works in all the mediums, it was the neighbor up the road who I will forever be grateful. He sparked my passion for silver.
Jorgen Hostrup-Pedesen was larger than life. He was a witty, charismatic Dane who lived each day like it was his last. He owned the Georg Jensen shop on London's Regents Street, famous for jewelry and extravagances of the elite. His home was a treasure of exquisite sterling silver things from goblets to candelabras and his living room boasted huge original paintings and a hand painted ceiling of Danish design. One day, he asked if my family might want to go to the shop with him and spend some time exploring the area.
That day was a whirlwind for me as an impressionable 14-year old in the sixties when England ruled the world of music and fashion. Everything glowed and pulsed. The highlight of the day, however, was hidden in the basement of that Georg Jenson shop. Beyond the front room of refinement with its quiet display of stunning sterling, Jorgen and his wife, Signe, took us through the back office where we descended stairs leading to the silversmith work area. There, we met Erik, the head "silversmithie" and 2 other smithers working on various projects. I was in awe. We watched as silver sheet was worked to a vessel and molten metal transformed to sleek jewelry and silverware. When Erik noticed my keen interest, he stopped his work and proceeded to explain what they were doing, the tools on his workbench and some tricks of the trade. Here, I was in a basement room in London with one of the master silversmithers in the world. I was in heaven. That day, I knew this image would lead me down the path to my own silversmithing studio.
Q: Is there any single piece of artwork that has impacted you as a child? An adolescent? An adult?
A: I don’t remember having such a piece as a child but Salvador Dali’s The Metamorphosis of Narcissus was my absolute favorite piece as an adolescent. I loved all his detail and imagery that provoked thought.
Q: What artists influenced you the most? Current Influences?
A: Georg Jensen, Master Danish silversmith, will always be paramount in sterling silver design and quality. On the other hand, I love Celtic design and enjoy studying the intricate patterns to see if I can incorporate them into my work.
Q: What do you like most about the medium and surface you use?
A: Sterling silver is the most beautiful metal of all metals. Jensen paralleled silver to the moon’s shine on a beautiful night. I understand that. It can be smooth and sleek or textured and intricate but it is always malleable and forgiving.
Q: What ideas are behind your current work?
A: To live here, in this rich, unique part of the world, allows an artist of any kind to be completely immersed in and inspired by its beauty. Nature is always a focus. Recently, my emphasis has been on stones found only in Michigan. We have the Petosky Stone and the Leland Blue right here ‘in my back yard’ but there are other fantastic, relatively unknown stones, like the Mohawkite and the Copper Brick, that are not only rare but strikingly beautiful.
Q: What do you want people to respond to in your work?
A: In this world of instant indulgences, things of value involve time. I would like people to respond to this concept. Not just in the sense of the craftsmanship necessary to create a piece but in its connection with the earth. The marriage of metal and stone is a perfect representation of a harmonious union of nature and man throughout time. There is an intrinsic value in this connection.
Q: Do you have a predetermined idea of what your finished work will be like, or do the ideas emerge in process?
A: I start out with a predetermined idea. With consignment work, I must. However, it is often the case that serendipity rules! I have learned that a finished work is frequently a willing combination of the two.
Q: What are your goals for your work in the next few years?
A: Being self-taught, I am always trying to improve the quality of my work in skillfulness and design. It is my hope that in the next few years, I’ll become more efficient and confident in my lapidary and silversmithing skills and that the jewelry I create will be appreciated by others.